Jonesboro, AR – Contributed – Thirty-five high-achieving freshmen at Arkansas State University have been awarded the prestigious A-State Scholar, the university’s highest academic scholarship.

The students, all part of the university’s Honors College, come from five different states, include high school valedictorians and salutatorians, and represent a range of majors on campus. 

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A-State Scholar recipients receive an $18,000 scholarship awarded annually. Requirements include being a high school graduate with a minimum ACT superscore of 31 or a 1400 SAT score, and a 3.5 high school grade point average (GPA). Recipients must have a minimum 3.5 college GPA to maintain the scholarship. 

The recipients are: 

Benton County:

  • Everly O’Daniel, an exercise science major from Bentonville, who graduated from Bentonville High School

Craighead County: 

  • Mia Caang, a biological sciences major from Jonesboro, who graduated from Valley View High School
  • Cooper Caldwell, an exercise science major from Jonesboro, who graduated from Jonesboro High School
  • Cole Chadwick, an exercise science major from Jonesboro, who graduated from Valley View High School
  • William Crader, an exploratory studies major from Jonesboro, who graduated from Valley View High School
  • Cesar Montana, a music major from Jonesboro, who graduated from Nettleton High School
  • Hazim Ragab, a biological sciences major from Jonesboro, who graduated from Valley View High School
  • William Spencer, a mechanical engineering from Jonesboro, who graduated Ridgefield Christian High School
  • Raegan Smith, a biological sciences major from Jonesboro, who graduated from Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts
  • Catherine Thompson, communication disorders major from Jonesboro, who was homeschooled

Crittenden County:

  • Bryant Pollard, a civil engineering major from West Memphis, who graduated from West Memphis Christian School

Cross County:

  • Cole Westbrook, a construction management major from Wynne, who graduated from Wynne High School

Faulkner County:

  • Isaac Theis, a graphic design major from Greenbrier, who graduated from Greenbrier High School 

Fulton County:

  • John Wilson, a mechanical engineering major from Salem, who graduated from Salem High School

Garland County: 

  • Hadassah Heard, a chemistry major from Hot Springs, who graduated from Lake Hamilton High School
  • Alayna Kincannon, an elementary education major from Amity, who graduated from Lake Hamilton High School
  • Taylor Mitchell, a political science major from Hot Springs, who graduated from Lake Hamilton High School

Grant County: 

  • Jackson Lazenby, a psychology major from Sheridan, who graduated from Sheridan High School

Izard County:

  • Jonas Gschwandegger, a digital technology and design major from Melbourne, who graduated from Melbourne High School
  • Silas Gschwandegger, a mechanical engineering major from Melbourne, who graduated from Melbourne High School

Lawrence County: 

  • Jaxton Brady, a chemistry major from Walnut Ridge, who graduated from Walnut Ridge High School

Pulaski County:

  • Kinkaid Dill, a biotechnology major from Austin, Ark. who graduated from Cabot High School
  • Carter Faulkner, an accounting major from Little Rock, who graduated from Little Rock Christian Academy 
  • Tyler Jackson, a business administration major from Sherwood, who graduated from Catholic High School for Boys 
  • Karie Kongenske, an environmental science major from Cabot, who graduated from Cabot High School
  • Jordyn Lane, a psychology major from Sherwood, who graduated from Mount St. Mary’s Academy
  • Ayden Pittman, a computer science major from Maumelle, who graduated from Maumelle Charter High School

Randolph County:

  • Aubrey Difani, a biological sciences major from Pocahontas, who graduated from Pocahontas High School 

Saline County:

  • Reece Pennington, an animal science major from Benton, who graduated from Benton High School

Washington County:

  • Kai Gardiner, a civil engineering major from Farmington, who graduated from Farmington High School

Logan County (Illinois):

  • Myah Bowman, a mathematics major from Lincoln, who graduated from Lincoln Community High School

Lee County (Mississippi): 

  • Cassidy Wilkins, a radiologic sciences major from Saltillo, who graduated from Tupelo Christian Prep School 

Cape Girardeau and Oregon counties (Missouri):

  • Rowan Glass, a biological sciences major from Jackson, who graduated from Jackson High School
  • Jaycelyn Wright, an agriculture major from Thayer, who attended Thayer R-2 Jr-Sr High School

Dyer County (Tennessee):

  • Ethan Powell, an electrical engineering major from Dyersburg, who graduated from Dyer County High School

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